U.S. patent application number 11/398753 was filed with the patent office on 2006-10-12 for lever type connector.
This patent application is currently assigned to YAZAKI CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Masayuki Fukui, Keisuke Nagao, Teruo Yokota.
Application Number | 20060228921 11/398753 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37083681 |
Filed Date | 2006-10-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060228921 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fukui; Masayuki ; et
al. |
October 12, 2006 |
LEVER TYPE CONNECTOR
Abstract
The present invention is to provide a lever type connector to
assure unlocking of a lever locking portion at a small size
connector. The lever type connector has a cover having electric
wire holder ribs at a rear surface of the cover. The electric wire
holder ribs are disposed at a base portion of the lever locking
portion and protrude downwardly from the rear surface of the cover
so as to abut the electric wires. The electric wire holder ribs
extend laterally to the electric wires and have a enough height to
prevent the electric wires from interfering with a clearance, which
allows the lever locking portion to move into the clearance. The
clearance assured by the electric wire holder ribs ensures
unlocking of the lever locking portion even when the electric wires
occupy a large space in the connector.
Inventors: |
Fukui; Masayuki; (Shizuoka,
JP) ; Nagao; Keisuke; (Shizuoka, JP) ; Yokota;
Teruo; (Shizuoka, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARMSTRONG, KRATZ, QUINTOS, HANSON & BROOKS, LLP
1725 K STREET, NW
SUITE 1000
WASHINGTON
DC
20006
US
|
Assignee: |
YAZAKI CORPORATION
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
37083681 |
Appl. No.: |
11/398753 |
Filed: |
April 6, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/157 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R 13/62938 20130101;
H01R 13/62955 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/157 |
International
Class: |
H01R 13/62 20060101
H01R013/62 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 8, 2005 |
JP |
2005-111645 |
Apr 8, 2005 |
JP |
2005-111644 |
Claims
1. a lever type connector comprising: a connector housing for
receiving a terminal of an electric wire; an extended wall disposed
on an upper base plate of the connector housing; a cover to be slid
inside the extended wall and attached to the connector housing, the
cover guiding and leading out the electric wire; a lever rotatably
attached to the connector housing; a lever locking portion disposed
on a portion of the cover for engaging with a part of the lever,
said locking portion being flexible and arm shaped; a locking
protrusion disposed on the cover for locking the cover to the
connector housing; and an engaging portion disposed on the
connector housing for engaging with the locking protrusion, wherein
said cover has an electric wire holder rib disposed at and
protruding from a rear surface of the cover and abutting to the
electric wire so as to prevent the electric wire from interfering
with a clearance, which allows a downward movement of the lever
locking portion.
2. The lever type connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
electric wire holder ribs are disposed in the vicinities of a free
end and fixed ends of the lever locking portion.
3. The lever type connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
cover has a stopper protrusion disposed on a side wall of the cover
and faced to the extended wall for preventing the side wall of the
cover at an electric wire outlet from expanding outwardly and
preventing the locking protrusion and engaging portion from being
unlocked to each other.
4. The lever type connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein said
stopper protrusion is disposed more closely to the electric wire
outlet than the locking protrusion and engaging portion.
5. The lever type connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
stopper protrusion has a slope extending obliquely upwardly to the
extended wall of the cover in a direction of the electric wire
outlet.
6. The lever type connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein said
cover has a jig insertion hole, which is formed by cutting out a
lower portion of the cover, disposed between the stopper protrusion
and the locking protrusion for inserting a jig to detach the cover
from the connector housing.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a lever type connector
having a connector housing for receiving a terminal of an electric
wire, a cover attached to the connector housing for guiding and
leading out the electric wire, and a lever attached to the
connector housing.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] JP, 2003-272768, A discloses a lever type connector. FIG. 8
is a partially sectional view of a conventional lever type
connector. FIG. 9 is another partially sectional view of the lever
type connector.
[0005] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the lever type connector includes
a box-shaped connector housing 60 for receiving a terminal of
electric wires 4, a hemisphere cover 70 attached to an upper base
plate of the connector housing 60 for guiding and leading out the
electric wires 4, and a lever 80 attached to the connector housing
60 and sandwiching the connector housing 60 and cover 70. The
plurality of the wires 4 come out upwardly from a cavity 63 and are
guided horizontally with the hemisphere cover 70 and led outside
the cover 70.
[0006] The connector housing 60 has an axle 66 at each side thereof
for the lever 80 to rotate about the axles. The lever 80 has a
guide hole 81, a rotation hole 86, recesses 82 at each side
thereof, and an engaging portion 88. The lever 80 is rotatable
about the axles 66 of the connector housing 60.
[0007] A mating connector (not shown) is fitted from an under side
of the connector housing 60. Guide pins (not shown) disposed in the
mating connector each are inserted into the guide hole 81 of the
lever 80 and pulled upwardly as the lever 80 rotates so that the
mating connector is fitted into the connector housing 60. After
fitting, the lever locking portion 74 is locked to the engaging
portion 88 of the lever 80 as shown in FIG. 8.
[0008] When the both connectors are unlocked to each other, a
reverse operation of the above is carried out. For unlocking, the
lever locking portion 74 is firstly depressed toward a direction B1
as shown in FIG. 9 and the engaging portion 88 of the lever 80 is
moved along directions B2 and B3 so as to unlock the lever locking
portion 74. The connector shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is only an example
to illustrate features of the connector having the cover and not a
connector disclosed in JP, 2003-272768, A.
[0009] In order to rotate the engaging portion 88 toward the
directions B2 and B3, it is necessary to have a enough clearance
CL' to accept a downward movement of the lever locking portion 74
as shown in FIG. 9.
[0010] A small size connector and cover 70 are recently requested
so that the electric wires 4 occupy a large space in the connector
and the connector can not have a enough space to keep the clearance
CL'.
[0011] When the clearance CL' is not enough provided, the lever
locking portion 74 interferes with the electric wires 4 so that it
is difficult to depress enough the lever locking portion 74 toward
the direction B1. Accordingly, it becomes also difficult to move
the engaging portion 88 toward the directions B2 and B3 and the
unlocking of the connectors becomes impossible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention is to provide a lever type connector
for assuring unlocking of a lever with a lever locking portion and
further preventing a cover from being pulled out of the connector
housing.
[0013] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a
lever type connector includes a connector housing for receiving a
terminal of an electric wire; an extended wall disposed on an upper
base plate of the connector housing; a cover to be slid inside the
extended wall and attached to the connector housing, the cover
guiding and leading out the electric wire; a lever rotatably
attached to the connector housing; a lever locking portion disposed
on a portion of the cover for engaging with a part of the lever,
said locking portion being flexible and arm shaped; a locking
protrusion disposed on the cover for locking the cover to the
connector housing; and an engaging portion disposed on the
connector housing for engaging with the locking protrusion, wherein
the cover has an electric wire holder rib disposed at and
protruding from a rear surface of the cover and abutting to the
electric wire so as to prevent the electric wire from interfering
with a clearance, which allows a downward movement of the lever
locking portion.
[0014] Preferably, the electric wire holder ribs are disposed in
the vicinities of a free end and fixed ends of the lever locking
portion.
[0015] Preferably, the cover has a stopper protrusion disposed on a
side wall of the cover and faced to the extended wall for
preventing the side wall of the cover at an electric wire outlet
from expanding outwardly and preventing the locking protrusion and
engaging portion from being unlocked to each other.
[0016] Preferably, the stopper protrusion is disposed more closely
to the electric wire outlet than the locking protrusions and
engaging portions.
[0017] Preferably, the stopper protrusion has a slope extending
obliquely upwardly to the extended wall of the cover in a direction
of the electric wire outlet.
[0018] Preferably, the cover has a jig insertion hole, which is
formed by cutting out a lower portion of the cover, disposed
between the stopper protrusion and the locking protrusion for
inserting a jig to detach the cover from the connector housing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a
lever type connector of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a connector housing of
FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cover of FIG. 1 when
viewed from obliquely downwardly;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a side view of the cover of FIG. 1;
[0023] FIG. 5A is a rear view of the cover of FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 5B is a sectional view taken along a line 5B-5B of FIG.
1;
[0025] FIG. 5C is a partially expanded view of Y of FIG. 5B;
[0026] FIG. 6 is a partially sectional view of the embodiment of
the lever type connector;
[0027] FIG. 7 is another partially sectional view of the lever type
connector of FIG. 6;
[0028] FIG. 8 is a partially sectional view of a conventional lever
type connector; and
[0029] FIG. 9 is another partially sectional view of the lever type
connector of FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0030] Embodiments of the present invention are explained by
referring to drawings.
[0031] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a lever type connector of the
present invention. The lever type connector includes a connector
housing 10 receiving terminals of electric wires, a cover 20
attached to the connector housing 10 and guiding and leading out
the electric wires, and a lever 30 rotatably attached to the
connector housing 10. The connector housing 10, the cover 20 and
the lever 30 are formed by a resin such as PBT (polybutylene
terephthalate).
[0032] The connector housing 10 is covered with the cover 20 in a
direction A20 in FIG. 1. A mating connector (not shown) is fitted
into the connector housing 10 in a direction A10. When the mating
connector is fitted to the connector housing 10, guide pins (not
shown) of the mating connector are fitted into guide holes 31 and
moved upwardly as the lever 30 is rotated toward a direction A30
and the both connectors are fitted together. A locking operation
between the lever 30 and cover 20 is explained later by referring
to FIGS. 6 and 7.
[0033] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the connector housing 10 has a
box shape. A plurality of large cylindrical and small circular
cavities 13 and 14, which receive the terminals of the electric
wires, are disposed on an upper base plate of the connector housing
10. The large and small cavities 13 and 14 each lead out a large
and small size electric wire, respectively. Extended walls 19 are
disposed at an edge of the upper base plate along a longitudinal
direction of the connector housing 10 and opposed to each other.
The extended walls 19 are extensions of side walls of the connector
housing 10. Slits 12 are formed in the extended walls 19.
[0034] The connector housing 10 has a plurality of engaging
portions 11, which engage with locking protrusions 21 of the cover
20, disposed inside the extended walls 19. The engaging portions 11
accept the locking protrusions 21 from outside to inside. Shape and
number of the engaging portions 11 correspond to those of the
locking protrusions 21.
[0035] Both side walls of the connector housing 10 serve as
attachment surfaces 15 for the lever 30. FIGS. 1 and 2 show only
one side. A axle 16 and guide groove 18 for the lever 30 are
disposed on each attachment surface 15.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 3-5, the cover 20 is
dome-shaped and has an electric wire outlet 29 and a lower opening.
The cover 20 is attached to the connector housing 10 by placing
outer surface of the cover 20 facing to inner surfaces of the
extended walls 19. After setting the cover 20 to the upper base
plate, the electric wires are lead out through the electric wire
outlet 29.
[0037] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the cover 20 has two pairs of
locking protrusions 21 on an inner wall thereof to fix the
connector housing 10. Each pair of the locking protrusions 21 are
opposed to each other and have claws to enter from outside and
engage with the engaging portions 11.
[0038] A plurality of ribs 22 are disposed on both side walls of
the cover 20 and extend along the attaching direction A20 of the
cover 20. Stopper protrusions 25 are disposed on both side walls of
the cover 20 and faced to the extended walls 19 to prevent the side
walls of the cover 20 from expanding outwardly and prevent the
locking protrusions 21 and engaging portions 11 from being unlocked
to each other. As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, the stopper
protrusions 25 have slopes extending obliquely upwardly to the
extended walls 19 of the cover 20 in a direction of the electric
wire outlet 29. The stopper protrusions 25 have tops at a side of
the electric wire outlet 29. The stopper protrusions 25 are
disposed more closely to the electric wire outlet 29 than the
locking protrusions 21 and engaging portions 11.
[0039] FIG. 5B is a sectional view taken along a line 5B-5B of FIG.
1 and FIG. 5C is a partially expanded view of Y of FIG. 5B.
[0040] When the electric wires 4 are pulled toward a detaching
direction of the cover 20, the electric wire outlet 29 tends to
stretch in a direction B25 of FIG. 5C. Accordingly, the stopper
protrusions 25 abut to the extended walls 19 so that the cover 20
does not stretch further and the engagement of the locking
protrusions 21 and engaging portions 11 is retained.
[0041] Since the stopper protrusions 25 are disposed more closely
to the electric wire outlet 29 than the locking protrusions 21 and
engaging portions 11, the lower portion of the cover 20 does not
stretch so that the cover 20 is not easily detached from the
connector housing 10.
[0042] The extended walls 19 have a curvature R so as to approach
gradually to the stopper protrusions 25 toward the electric wire
outlet 29, or a direction X of FIG. 5C. A distance between the
stopper protrusions 25 and extended walls 19 becomes shorter so
that the stretching of the cover 20 is further effectively
prevented.
[0043] The stopper protrusions 25 are effective for retaining the
cover 20 regardless of the lever 30.
[0044] As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5, jig insertion holes 26 are
formed by cutting out lower portions of the cover 20 and are
disposed between the stopper protrusions 25 and the locking
protrusions 21 for inserting a jig to detach the cover 20 from the
connector housing 10. When the jig is inserted into the jig
insertion holes 26, the cover 20 is easily detached from the
connector housing 10 since the stopper protrusions 25 are not
subjected to a large force.
[0045] As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5, a lever locking portion 24
is disposed on an upper surface of the cover 20 to be locked to a
cover engaging portion 38 and has a flexible arm shape. Side
members 23 are disposed to sandwich the lever locking portion 24
and a U-shaped slit 27 is disposed to surround a part of the lever
locking portion 24 as shown in FIG. 5A so as to keep the
flexibility thereof. As shown in FIG. 5A, reinforcing ribs 28 are
disposed on a rear surface of the lever locking portion 24. The
cover 20 has a curved portion at an opposite side of the electric
wire outlet 29 so as to bend the electric wires gently.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 6, electric wire holder ribs 29L and 29L'
are disposed at the vicinities of a fixed end and a free end of the
lever locking portion 24, respectively on the rear surface of the
cover 20, and protrude downwardly from a base surface 24a of the
lever locking portion 24. The electric wire holder ribs 29L and
29L' protrude to abut the electric wires 4 and extend laterally to
the electric wires 4. The electric wire holder ribs 29L and 29L'
have a enough height so as to prevent the electric wires 4 from
interfering with a clearance CL, which allows a downward movement
of the lever locking portion 24. Accordingly, even the electric
wires 4 occupy a large space in the cover 20, the clearance CL is
assuredly kept so that the lever locking portion 24 is assuredly
unlocked.
[0047] The lever 30 is attached to sandwich the attachment surfaces
15 of the connector housing 10. The lever 30 has, at each
attachment surface 15, a rotation hole 36 at the center thereof,
the guide hole 31 around the rotation hole 36, and recesses 32. The
rotation holes 36 and axles 16 are fitted together so that the
lever 30 is rotatable about the axles 16. The lever 30 has the
cover engaging portion 38 to be engaged with the lever locking
portion 24 of the cover 20.
[0048] FIGS. 6 and 7 show how to engage and unlock the lever 30.
FIG. 6 is a partially sectional view of the lever type connector of
the embodiment. FIG. 7 is another partially sectional view of the
lever type connector.
[0049] When the cover 20 is fitted into the connector housing 10,
the cover 20 is slid on the inner surfaces of the extended walls 19
toward the direction A20 of FIG. 1 and abutted to the upper base
plate of the connector housing 10. The locking protrusions 21 of
the cover 20 engage to the engaging portions 11 of the connector
housing 10. The mating connector (not shown) is fitted into the
lower portion of the connector housing 10 from the direction A10 of
FIG. 1. Then, the guide pins (not shown) of the mating connector
are inserted into the guide holes 31. When the lever 30 is rotated
into the direction A30 of FIG. 1, the guide pins are moved upwardly
so that the mating connector is fitted into the connector housing
10. The lever locking portions 24 are locked to the cover engaging
portion 38 of the lever 30 so that the connector housing 10 and
mating connector are fitted together.
[0050] For unlocking, the lever locking portion 24 of FIG. 7 is
depressed downwardly to the direction A1 so as to unlock the
engagement with the cover engaging portion 38. When the lever 30 is
rotated into a direction A3 of FIG. 7, the connector housing 10 is
disengaged from the mating connector. As described above, the
clearance CL is assuredly kept between the lower surface of the
lever locking portion 24 and the electric wires 4 with the electric
wire holder ribs 29L and 29L' so that the lever locking portion 24
is depressed without the interference of the electric wires and the
lever 30 is assuredly disengaged.
[0051] According to the embodiment of the present invention, the
electric wire holder ribs 29L and 29L' protruded from the rear
surface of the cover 20 keep the clearance CL for allowing the
downward movement of the lever locking portion 24 so that the lever
locking portion 24 and the cover engaging portion 38 are assuredly
disengaged each other without the interference of the electric
wires 4 occupying the large space in the connector. Thus, the
connector can be smaller by keeping the electric wires to the same
amount.
* * * * *